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April 4, 1968
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr.
From: Dan Sweat
Subject: Clergymen's Conference
I met with representatives of the Atlanta Christian Council this
morning to discuss followup on the suggested meeting the Clergy
of Atlanta wants to hold to help get further understanding of and
involvement in the problems which face the city.
The idea of the ministers is to have a meeting which would include
the religious leadership from the five county area, the elected
political leadership, top business, labor and education, In effect,
they are talking about an Urban Coalition type mass meeting of the
top leadership.
They are speaking in terms of from 500 to 1,000 persons.
What apparently prompted this interest on the part of the Clergy was
Al Bows speech to them, It is now felt that Mr. Bows has put the
Clergy on the spot and there is fear that the business community has
gotten out ahead of the religious community.
The ministers who are hehind this movement feel that the time is at
hand to encourage some of the more timid ministers, particularly in
the suburbs, to get moving. They feel that if these ministers can see
what some of the business community is doing and saying, people like
Mayor Allen
Page Two
April 4, 1968
Bows, Paul Austin, Sterne, etc., that they won't feel they're risking
their necks or their pulpits by getting involved in the "urban problems".
We have tentatively settled on May 6 as the date for the dinner and
would like to issue an invitation to John Gardner. The program would
consist of ''rip-snorting" speeches from you, Paul Austin, John Gardner
and a key religious figure.
The ministers' committee will be in to talk to you about it, present
their ideas and get any suggestions you might have on Wednesday at
2:30 p.m.
DS:fy
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr.
From: Dan Sweat
Subject: Clergymen's Conference
I met with representatives of the Atlanta Christian Council this
morning to discuss followup on the suggested meeting the Clergy
of Atlanta wants to hold to help get further understanding of and
involvement in the problems which face the city.
The idea of the ministers is to have a meeting which would include
the religious leadership from the five county area, the elected
political leadership, top business, labor and education, In effect,
they are talking about an Urban Coalition type mass meeting of the
top leadership.
They are speaking in terms of from 500 to 1,000 persons.
What apparently prompted this interest on the part of the Clergy was
Al Bows speech to them, It is now felt that Mr. Bows has put the
Clergy on the spot and there is fear that the business community has
gotten out ahead of the religious community.
The ministers who are hehind this movement feel that the time is at
hand to encourage some of the more timid ministers, particularly in
the suburbs, to get moving. They feel that if these ministers can see
what some of the business community is doing and saying, people like
Mayor Allen
Page Two
April 4, 1968
Bows, Paul Austin, Sterne, etc., that they won't feel they're risking
their necks or their pulpits by getting involved in the "urban problems".
We have tentatively settled on May 6 as the date for the dinner and
would like to issue an invitation to John Gardner. The program would
consist of ''rip-snorting" speeches from you, Paul Austin, John Gardner
and a key religious figure.
The ministers' committee will be in to talk to you about it, present
their ideas and get any suggestions you might have on Wednesday at
2:30 p.m.
DS:fy